Does Grade 3 tumour always mean chemo?
I am 43 and newly diagnosed node positive ER/PR+ HER2- 21mm tumour Grade 3. Having lumpectomy and axilla lymph node surgery this week. My surgeon has confirmed radiation and the nurses have talked about hormone treatment (Tamoxifen). But every time I mention chemotherapy everyone goes silent and won’t say whether it’s likely or not… it’s driving me nuts. They say I need to wait for pathology after surgery etc, but then I know I have very limited time to be organised ahead of chemo if it’s required. I have long curly hair which is a key part of my identity so I am trying to be practical and look at how to manage the hair loss - especially for my children. I am thinking of getting my hair cut shorter first (soon) so that it’s better for cold capping if that is an option. Being Xmas period it’s impossible to get into my hairdresser so I need ti be organised. So my question is whether anyone my age has not been given chemotherapy for a Grade 3 type tumour. Any feedback welcome. Thanks!Hormone Therapy advice for young women who want to have children
Hi everyone 😊 I’m seeking some advice on what hormone therapy is best for younger women who want kids in the future. I have Grade 1 multifocal IDC+DCIS, 80% hormone positive, ER- cancer & I’m premenopausal, with no children. I was told after 2 years of hormone therapy I can try to fall pregnant (…but am hoping 1.5 will be enough?) I have been given three options for hormone therapy: •Tamoxifen only •Zoladex + Tamoxifen •Zoladex + Exemestane (Aromasin) All offer similar coverage in regards to my type of cancer, but I was wondering if there are any differences in regards to future fertility? ie. longer detox periods required before falling pregnant, or potential fertility issues after long term use, eg Zoladex or Exemestane? I have also read that Exemestane (Aromasin) is an *irreversible* steroidal aromatase inhibitor. I don’t want to be on anything that could irreversibly damage my oestrogen production.. Fertility-wise, does anyone know if this is something to avoid until after having children? I’d really appreciate any advice & tips for having the best chance of getting pregnant in 2 years! XZoladex immediately after IVF
Hi ladies, I was wondering if anyone has had their Zoladex injection straight after an IVF cycle? My lymph nodes were clear so I don’t need chemo, but my oncologist wants to put me on Zoladex & Aromasin for 5 years, (with a break after 2y to have children - I’ll be 38/39). I am almost through an IVF round to freeze my eggs & was wondering if it’s healthy or safe for your ovaries to be hyper stimulated & then shutdown immediately afterwards. Or is it better to wait a few days/week for them to return to normal before starting Zoladex? None of my specialists seem to be communicating with each other, so I’m finding it difficult to know the urgency or safety around the issue. I don’t want to damage my fertility for the future, or increase my recurrence chances.. Would really appreciate any advice! *** A bit of background on my cancer: I’m 36 & I have Hormone positive (80%), HER2 negative breast cancer, ki67 16% (3 tumours in the right breast). I had a single nipple & skin sparing mastectomy with an expander (in preparation for radiotherapy), 10.5weeks ago. My breast surgeon got clear boarders and tested 4 lymphnodes which were also clear, so seemed to think I would need no further treatment, (which I found unusual for early bc). My surgeon then took 3 weeks to seek a multidisciplinary meeting with an oncologist & radiation oncologist, after which she said I’d need endocrine therapy to be safe, but no longer need radiotherapy. It took 8 weeks after surgery to get an oncologist appointment - and now I am starting IVF, then endocrine therapy next week. It’s been very difficult waiting around, without being given much information. (Perhaps I’ll post another question, asking if such slow, conservative aftercare is normal!)
Treatment decisions
Hi everyone! I was diagnosed with early stage, grade 3, ER/PR+ breast cancer in early April shortly after my 28th birthday. I had a lumpectomy early May and it came back with clear margins and clear lymph nodes (but not without a good infection and some extra fun in hospital!) I'm currently in consult with my team on my next stage of treatment. Radiation is a given and I'm yet to see my medical oncologist but chemotherapy seems to be highly recommended for me but ultimately it's a decision I must make myself. I'd love to hear other people's decision making processes in a situation like this and the reasons why you may or may not have gone down that route? Stay strong x
Treatment decision paralysis
Hi Everyone, I’m sitting in a grey zone at the moment and trying to understand how you weigh up your options with so many unknowns! I’ve just received Prosigna results back which show a 10% chance of recurrence, with chemo giving between a 2-4% risk reduction. I know I have 15-19 sessions of radiation ahead of me and hormone therapy after that for 5 years.. My chemo course if I go ahead with it would be 4x TC for 3 months. How are you supposed to weigh up potential risks of recurrence without knowing how badly you will respond to chemo!? I’m 33, want kids in the future - and three oncologists have given three different opinions of how aggressive treatment should be. I’ve been told there are no wrong choices and that they are supportive of whatever decision I make. My husband and I literally can’t make sense of how we proceed! I am healthy and active and am very nervous about the toll of chemo, being luminal A and therefore it’s benefit being less clear cut and the stacked impact of all these treatments together. Any advice on how you navigate these decisions would be wonderful! Thank you xx
Reconstruction, revision and drains
Hello, I had my tissue expander swapped over to an implant in July however my surgeon has advised I may need revision surgery on Monday as necrosis (dead skin) has formed around the incision and the implant is now exposed. The revision will prevent any infection. As I have an important appointment next Friday that can't be changed, I want to make sure I will be able to make it. During the surgery in July, my drain tubes were in for over a week before they were removed. Has anyone had revision surgery before and did you need drain tubes? I'm hoping the surgeon will tell me tomorrow that drain tubes won't be required this time.. Fingers crossed! Thanks Emma
Looking for women with endometriosis/adenomyosis who have had breast cancer
Hi there I'm 35 years old and was successfully treated for an early-stage ER+/PR+ breast cancer with lumpectomy + radiation earlier this year I'm currently in the post-treatment monitoring phase and taking tamoxifen. I also have endometriosis & adenomyosis (suspected via MRI) and am really struggling to manage my endometriosis pain now that I've been taken off the contraceptive pill despite my laundry list of helpful tools & helpers (family & friends, yoga, mindfulness, feldenkrais, an established exercise routine, balanced nutrition and sleep, botox, TENS, hot water bottles, heat packs, singing, journalling, doing things that bring me joy:). With such a high prevalence rate for endometriosis I feel like there is going to be someone else out there who has also had breast cancer. How have you managed without one of the critical endo treatment tools, namely hormonal contraception?
Surgery or Taxol Chemo First
I met with my surgeon last week for my check up after 3 rounds of AC Chemo. Since I'm not loving the Chemo (I mean who does), the surgeon has suggested taking a break from Chemo by doing a double mastectomy before doing the weekly Taxol Chemo. Both options have been booked for 13th July. I just need to decide which one to do. I'm torn between both options. I'm thinking I want to get the Chemo done before surgery so that 1. I'm done with Chemo and never have to do it again, and 2. I can focus on healing from surgery and not worry about the stress of chemo or rushing back into it. If I do it this way, I also get more time to say goodbye to my boobs (for myself and my husband) as the surgeon doesn't think reconstruction is a good idea if I need to have further treatments and just in case of any complications. The idea of no reconstruction just before my 30th hits really hard. I'm also mindful that I won't want any surgery for some time after this as I hate pain (huge anxiety for anticipation of it) and hospitals. But then I think if I do surgery first the cancer will be gone and the chemo can work on any remaining cells as supposed to. I chatted to my oncologist as well but got nothing from her. I've been given zero guidance or expectations for doing one before the other from either specialist. I've booked in with a psychologist in two weeks but I have to make a decision by the end of this week. Any ideas or guidance for one before the other would be appreciated. Thanks, Jen.
Final Chemo
Good Morning. I'm sitting here in HODC celebrating the end of my Chemotherapy today. 5 months ago, I wasn't sure I'd be able to make. I was so scared of leaving my husband and young boys. But here I am. While I still have 6 weeks of Radiotherapy to go and 3rd weekly Herceptin until the end of the year, I am feeling more positive. While I may not comment on many discussions, the support and advice you all give is amazing. It has helped in so many ways. I find you all so inspirational. So Thankyou from the bottom of my heart.
IVF: injection sites/Decapeptyl
Hi all, not sure if anyone else is doing the IVF thing but if you are and you're like me (crazy needle phobic), then the least painful injection site for me has definitely been my top/inner thigh. I pinch a decent amount of chubb-making sure the "roll" is tight and a quick stab and slow inject and its over before you know it